Just been to London...

[hackbike 666]

I agree with sweetpea how it adds at least 5 mins to my commute but im a calmer cyclist now as opposed to a few years back when I would regulary swear at motorists.Not really good road behaviour.Also the cops may stop you if they spot you RLJing.Perhaps to tell you well done keep it up.

I've never really been a RLJer though.

Also I see some shocking cycling when it comes to ped lights and pedestrians.
I think a bit of road disclipline is not a bad thing.

Yeah I generally leave in good time and am in no hurry to get to work.

 

[HLaB]

Well I went to London with a mate yesterday to do a bit of shopping for my holiday. I was planning on seeing what Critical Mass was like but in the end my bike went to the bike shop for a service so I didn't .

I was watching the cyclists up there and the amount of red light jumpers is unbelievable! I swear 99 out of a 100 did.

Saw some bad driving too. I though I was going to be a witness to an accident at one point. A cyclist was in front, going straight on when a merc (indicating right) started to undertake. I thought the merc was going to cut the cyclists up and knock them over. A bus got in the way but the cyclists came out the other side fine - pheww.

Later on a bus started tapping the horn to some lady for no good reason and she just mouthed where the driver could go

I was planning on seeing what critical mass was like. Has anyone done it and what are your thoughts on it? I think I'll try out the next one.

I've never cycled in London and only been there a few times but that a fair summary of the folk in Dublin too. Although I didn't experience too much beeping at me as drivers are generally stuck in grid lock. I've only done the critical mass there and to be truthfull I found it hard even on a really heavy bike going that slow and didn't really like the fuss it caused. Afterall that driver pi$$ed off by the critical mass one day may be still pi$$ed off passing me the next.

 

[Bollo]

Just back from London village after another visit to the inlaws. Chaos.

Old fella RLJed through a ped crossing that I was, surprise, surprise - crossing and we had a collision. I didn't see him because he's popped out from the back of a stationary bus to go up the inside with about 2 feet between the side of the bus and the railings around the crossing.

Me 16 stone. Him 9 stone wet through. He came off worse. As he was lying on the floor I called him a lady's tuppence and threatened to finish the job, but judging by his cycling skills he's not long for living anyway.

 

[hackbike 666]

Hope you are ok Bollo.

I remember a few years back an old bloke cycled up and I was impressed,had seen the same sort on my club runs in the 70's so it brought back memories and I had a bit of respect for him.He would never rlj he's not the sort.Well he did at about three miles per hour.I was seriously worried as I expected him to get mown down.Nice to see cars weaving in and out of him.(not)

I agree the driving is or can be bad as well.Someone said to me yesterday that they thought I was mad to cycle in Bangkok and I retorted I think the driving is better and less agressive there.

 

[hackbike 666]

I think it's just experience and a few accidents that fixes all that though.

 

[Bollo]

Hope you are ok Bollo.

I remember a few years back an old bloke cycled up and I was impressed,had seen the same sort on my club runs in the 70's so it brought back memories and I had a bit of respect for him.He would never rlj he's not the sort.Well he did at about three miles per hour.I was seriously worried as I expected him to get mown down.Nice to see cars weaving in and out of him.(not)

I agree the driving is or can be bad as well.Someone said to me yesterday that they thought I was mad to cycle in Bangkok and I retorted I think the driving is better and less agressive there.

Thanks hackers, but I just walked into the side of him as he tried to push past. I was slightly distracted because I was checking that littl'n was with a family member to cross safely, otherwise I would have seen him. Absolutely no harm to me, but he wobbled and came off. Boo f****** hoo!

The driving was hellish as well - all attitude and aggression, so its not just the cycling. We normally get the train to London but I was forced to drive to drop off some heavy stuff at the in-laws. I was brought up in London and went to Uni there, but I can live without the place now.

I guess I'm just a country bumpkin.

 

[MacB]

Glad you're ok Bollo, I can relate to driving in London, that's where I learnt, but you lose the habit. When I drive up now I almost have to don a new driving persona to make any headway, not relaxing at all.

 

[skrx]

Does anyone think there's an arguement for making it buses/taxis/bikes only?

Yes, but it won't happen with the current mayor!

Livingstone made Oxford Street pedestrians only for a day or two every year, and it was good. He also pedestrianised some squares, e.g. Trafalgar Square. Parliament Square was going to be pedestrianised too, but BoJo quickly cancelled it.

I'd like to see all of the congestion zone made anti-car -- not necessarily by banning them, but with a combination of removing parking spaces every year (and increasing charges) and banning cars from some streets.

[quote name='swee'pea99']For all but a few in London, the question is not whether you RLJ but how.[/quote]

That depends on the route you take too. With my fast route to work -- along the South Circular -- most of the lights will be green as it's the major road. If I take the smaller roads through Central London, most lights will be red since I'm on the smaller road at a lot of the junctions.

I RLJ pedestrian crossings if the pedestrians have crossed and none are waiting to cross, and some left hand turns if nothing's coming. I'll occasionally RLJ small junctions carefully if there's no one in sight (so, at night), but never large junctions.

With cycles, many get to the red light, and every cyclist can then choose to RLJ. With cars, once one car stops the rest all have to stop. Also, bikes can creep forward more easily to get a good look.
If you compare proportion of RLJers of both types who actually have the chance to go past the red light it's pretty similar.

 

[thomas]

To be fair, I'm not that bothered about RLJing in London when it's sensible. It'd be pretty pointless on my commute as there are something like 4 sets of traffic lights over 13.5 miles . I'll admit, the other day when I had a good speed going I did go through on very very late amber....possibly even a little too late . I don't make a habit of it though!

 

[Dan B]

To be fair, I'm not that bothered about RLJing in London when it's sensible. It'd be pretty pointless on my commute as there are something like 4 sets of traffic lights over 13.5 miles

Right, whereas mine has them on average less than 150m apart ...

 

[Greenbank]

Right, whereas mine has them on average less than 150m apart ...

Sprint/interval training.

You know it's bad when you wish that the next one isn't green otherwise you know it's going to be a trip to the vomitorium if you have to continue...

 

[hackbike 666]

I really don't understand what the problem is with stopping at traffic lights.

Same as motorists mentality isn't it.

Whereas they will generally attempt a dangerous overtake to rush up to the next traffic light a cyclist will generally ignore same traffic lights whether it's dangerous or not.Yes I see it all the time.

 

[MacB]

I really don't understand what the problem is with stopping at traffic lights.

succinctly put, the impatient behaviour demonstrated by RLJ'ing is just the sort of impatience that makes certain motorists a danger to us.

 

[hackbike 666]

Perhaps at one time though I used to cycle when RLJing wasn't invented and I think there was better disclipline out there.Plus the fact plod would give you a clip behind the ear.

 

[Greenbank]

I really don't understand what the problem is with stopping at traffic lights.

Many people are lazy and have an over inflated opinion of their self-importance. They don't give themselves adequate time to complete a journey and don't care that they're helping enforce the negative stereotype that others have of cyclists.

They'll also wail and gnash their teeth when a car driver goes through a red light or commits some other driving offence but they can justify themselves ignoring the rules of the road for their own benefit.

Will that do?

Usual excuses given (apply the usual rebuttals):-

"I only do it when it's safe."
"It's a victimless crime."
"It makes it safer for me if I get away from the traffic at lights."